Marking or labeling machines



April 24, 1956 .1. P. HOUNSELL MARKING OR LABELING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 22, 1953 INVENTOR. JOHN P. HOUNSELL ATTORNEY April 24, 1956 J. P. HOUNSELL 2,742,854

MARKING OR LABELING MACHINES Filed Jan. 22, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 p p. n. p.

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INVENTOR. JOHN P. HOUNSELL ATTORNEY April 1956 J. P. HOUNSELL 2,742,854

MARKING OR LABELING MACHINES 3 In l INVEN TOR. JOHN P. HOUN SELL ATTORNEY United States Patent- 2,742,854 MARKING 0R LABELING. MACHINES John P. Hounsell, Hood River, Oreg. Application January lz, 1953-, SeriaLNo. 332,597

Claims. Cl. 101-43 =set forthe'box to be labeled.

A further object of the invention is to provide a labeling machine that forms part of a conveyor over'which the boxes-pass-,.maintaining the same in positive alignment at all times.

A still further object of my invention is the provisionof means for power operating the machine by an operator stationednear the said machine.

These and other incidental. objects will be apparent in the drawings, specification and claims.

Referring to the drawing;

Figure l is a planview of my new and improved marking and labeling machine, parts broken away for convenience of: illustration.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary detailview of the stops forv holdingthe box in. position. This view illustrating how the boxis released fromits labeling position.

Figure .3 is afragmentary enlarged detailsectional view of the method of holding the labeling drums in: set position. v f

Figure4 is an end sectional view, takenon line 44 ofv Figure. 1, looking in the direction indicated, parts broken away for convenience ofillustration.

Figure Sis afragmentary detailed view of the labeling head illustrating the inking pad about tobe applied to the type of the marking and labeling head.

Fig. 6 is a. fragmentary detailed view similar to Fig.5 showing the inking pad applied to the type of the marking and labeling head.

Figure 7'is an enlarged detail sectional view. of the inking pad illustrating how the same is applied to its operating arm.

Figure 8 is an enlarged detail sectional view of my marking and labeling machine, taken. on line 8-8 of Figure 1, looking into the face of the marking and labeling head, the box not here shown.

Figure 9 isaside view. of the marking and labeling head, partially broken away and taken on line 9-9 of Figure 8.

Figure 10 is aperspective View of the inking pad associated with they operating assembly.

Figure ll is a fragmentary sectional detail taken on line.11-11 of Figurev 1. 7

Referring morespecifically to the drawing:

My new andimproved marking. and labelingmachine consists of a section of a power driven conveyor, indicated byv letter. .A? and. amarkingand labeling head assembly -B. The marking and labeling head is slidably mounted toa framework C," which is connected to the section.

of conveyor A.

The conveyor section. consists of horizontal rails 1 mounted on .the.:legs 2. Mounted onthe. said rails 1 are channels 3 inwhich operate the conveyor chains 4. The

"ice

conveyor chains 4 are trained aboutthe driving sprockets; 5 and the idler sprockets 6. The sprockets Sare keyed to the'shaft 7, which is journalled Within bearings 8 mountedto-theframework of the conveyor. The shaft 7 is driven by-the motor 9 through a speed reducing unit 10 and driving chain 11.

The. box to be labeled isindicated by numeral 12, and is delivered from the gravity conveyor 13 on to-the chains 4 and moved to the-position illustrated in Figures l and 4. Guide rails 14 and 15 guide the box to itsproper. position. These guide rails are mounted to the framework. of the conveyor. The rail 14 is mounted to-the vertical arms 16 which are of a type to resist considerablepressure. The arms 16 are directly connected to the rails 1 and 1A of the conveyor.

The box guide 15 is mounted to the rail 1 by way of the verticalilegs 17. The movement forward of the box.

by the conveyor chains 4 is interrupted by the stops 18.. The stops 18 are pivotally mounted to the spindle bolts 19, which are fixedly supported by the brackets 20, which inturn are secured to the rails 1 of the conveyor framework. The position of the free ends 21 of the stops is controlled by the links 22.

One end of the. said links are pivotally connected at. 23 to the stops, while the opposite ends of the links are pivotally connected to the lever 24, which is pivotally connected to-the framework 25 at 26. The stops normally are in. the position illustrated in Figure 1, being held in this position by the action. of the spring 27. Figure 2 illustrates. how the stops are releasecl'frorn the box by the lever 24 and the links 22, the operation of whichwill. be later described.

Fixedly secured to one of. the rails. 1 of the conveyor unit A are horizontal guide rails 23. Referring to- Figure 11, I illustrate the rails having base plates 29 which are bolted to the rail 1 of the conveyor unit. The opposite end of the guide rails are supported upon the horizontal member 30, which in turn is supported by the leg 31;

The-markingv and labeling head consists of a base 32, slidably mounted to the guide rails 28 by way of the guide bearings 33,which. are located on all four corners of the base 32. Mounted to and above the base 32 is a sub-base. 34. The. sub-base 34 is. spaced above the base 32 by way of removable spacers 35. The object of these spacers is to adjust. the height of the marking and labeling unit B to correspond to the various sized boxes to be marked and labeled. 7

The marking and labeling head unitv B consists of a. base 36, having upwardly extending legs 37 and 37A to which is mounted the .type holding drums 38 and. 39.

Thesedrums are rotatably mounted to the cross shaft 4%,.

this. said shaft beingfixedly mounted to the upper ends of the legs'by any suitable means. Secured to the periphery of th'edrums 38 and 39 is type 41, which is to be printed on theends of the box to be marked or labeled. This type is aflixed to the drum by any suitable manner, as gluing and is preferably made of a resilient material.

insuring. that each type prints clearly on the end of the boxes'when applied thereto.

Removably'mounted'to the upper end of the leg 37 by the legs 37A-is an interchangeable indicating scale 42corresponding to the type located on the drum. The drum is rotated about the shaft 40by the lever 43 and is held in eachjpositionqby'the spring loaded ball 44, referring- 3 located on the periphery of the drum 39 is indicated by the markings located on the scale segment 50A supported by the stationary cross member 51, which in turn is supported on the leg 52, which forms part of the base 36 and the leg 37A.

In many marking and labeling operations, there is a certain type of mark that is universal and in this case the markings are mounted to the cross member or type base 51.

The marking and labeling head B and its base 36 is slidably mounted to the sub-base 34. The sub-base 34 has guide ways 53 in which the edges 54 of the base 36 operates, referring to Figures 1, 4, 8 and 9. Referring particularly to Figures 1 and 4, it will be noted that an air cylinder 55 is connected at 56 to the horizontal member 30 of the framework C of the machine and its piston rod 57 is connected to the base 32.

The base 32, as above described, is slidably mounted on the guide rails 28 and is moved thereon by the said air cylinder 55. The air cylinder 55 is operated from an air control valve unit 58 by the foot pedal 59. The hose line 60 supplies air from a source not here shown, to the valve 58 while the hose lines 61 and 62 supply air to the air cylinder 55, the operation of which will be described later.

When the marking or labeling operation takes place, the air cylinder 55 moves the marking and labeling head assembly B towards the box 12, after which the same is returned to the position illustrated by the said cylinder 55. Compression springs 63 have one of their ends bearing against the seats 64, forming part of the sub-base 34 and their opposite ends bearing against the seats 65 forming part of the base 36. This permits an overrun movement of the sub-base 34 when the type 41 on the marking and printing head contacts the end of the box so that complete contact will always be made against the box by the type.

I will now describe the inking pad for applying ink to the type located on the marking or labeling head B.

Referring to Figures 7 and 10, the ink pad consists 'of a rigid bar 66 secured to a relatively U-shaped frame 67 by the bolts 68. A flexible pad 69 is held against the face of the bar by the ink applying absorbent material 70, which forms the face of the pad and is clamped between the bar 66 and the frame 67 when the nuts on the bolts 68 are tightened down. This is best illustrated in Figure 7.

The frame 67 has arms 71 extending therefrom at an angle as best illustrated in Figure 10. These arms are connected together by the cross rod 72, referring particularly to Figures 8 and 9. This cross rod is clamped to the arms 71 by the set screws 73, which assist in maintaining the frame 67 in alignment in its operation.

The ends of the rod 72 are journalled within bearings within the end of the arm 75 of the upwardly extending leg 45 and to the arm 76 which forms part of the upwardly extending leg 52. Extending from and beyond one of the arms 71 of the inking unit is a stub shaft 77. This shaft is for the purpose of operating the inking unit about to be described.

A spring 78 has one of its ends connected to the shaft 77, referring to Figures 8 and 9, and its opposite end connected to an upwardly extending backet 79 forming part of the base 36 of the head B. This spring holds the inking assembly in the position shown in Figures 1, 4, 8 and 9.

Another spring 80 has one of its ends connected to the shaft 77 and its opposite end connected to the bracket 81, which forms part of the upwardly extending leg 52. This spring pulls the inking pad assembly to the position illustrated in Figure 6, which will be more fully described later on.

A pawl 82 is pivotally mounted to the frame of the machine at 83 and is held in the position illustrated in the drawings by the spring 84 against the stop 85. The purpose of this pawl will be described later. Fixedly secured to the frame member '86 is an upwardly extending leg 87. The upper end of this leg has a return bend 88 formed thereon, the bend being formed into a cam surface 89. The object of which will be apparent later on.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 9, a. pawl is pivotally connected to the base 32 at 91. A stop 92 forming part of the base resists the pushing movement of the compression spring 93, which maintains the said pawl in the position as indicated in Figures 1 and 2. The object of this pawl will be described in the operation of the machine.

I will now describe the operation of my new and improved marking and labeling machine. The box 12 to be labeled is delivered from the gravity conveyor 13 on to the conveyor chains 4 being aligned by the guide rails 14 and 15, and stopped in its forward motion by the stops 18, which are in the position shown in Figure 1.

The operator then positions the labeling drums by way of the handles 43 and 49 depending upon what is contained within the box 12 as to grade and weight. The packers identification is usually a fixed type located on the type holding bar 51. There would be no limitation as to the character of markings on the type supporting drums or stationary type supports employed. It would depend upon the use to which the labeling machine was being applied to.

The position of the type holding drum 38 is determined by the pointer 43A in regards to the indicating dial 42 and the position of the type holding drum 39 is indicated by the pointer 49A in regards to the dial markings 50.

The operator then steps on the pedal 59 of the air control valve unit 58. This permits air to flow into the cylinder 55 through the hose line 61, referring to Figure l, forcing the piston rod 57, including the labeling head B in the direction of 'the arrow, causing the selected group of type to contact the end of the box 12, labeling the box.

When the operators foot is removed from the pedal 59, air will escape out through the valve control unit 58 allowing air to be directed to the opposite end of the cylinder 55 by way of the hose line 62 returning the marking and labeling head to the position shown in Figures 1, 4 and 8.

I will now describe the operation of the inking pad mechanism. When the marking or labeling head travelled in the direction of the arrow towards the box, the stub shaft 77 forming part of the arm 71 of the inking pad moves the pawl 82 as indicated by broken lines, Figures 4 and 9, permitting the said stub shaft to pass the said pawl. On the return movement of the marking and labeling head B" the stub shaft 77 of the inking arm 71 rides up over the top of the pawl 82, as indicated in Figure 5, raising the arm 71 of the inking mechanism, pivoting .the shaft 72 within its bearings 74.

When the pawl raises the said ink mechanism beyond the position shown in Figure 5, the spring 78 will pass the center line of the shaft 72 and with the assistance of the spring 80 will pull the inking mechanism to the position shown in Figure 6 against the row of type being used for labeling or inking the same.

As the head B moves further on, on its return motion, referring to Figure 6, the stub shaft 77 will contact the cam surface 89 of the reverse bend 88 of the upstanding leg 87, best illustrated in Figures 6, 8 and 9. This cam throws the inking mechanism, including the stub shaft 77 and the arms 71 down to the position indicated in Figures 4, 8 and 9. As the cam 89 forces the stub shaft 77 past the center line of the shaft 72, the spring 78 pulls the pad to the position of rest as shown in the above said views. The purpose of the spring 80 is to assist the spring 78 in causing the inking pad to cotnact the type with enough pressure to ink the same.

I will now describe the releasing of the box 12 from the labeling position. When the labeling head 13" goes forward in the direction of the arrow to label the box, the pawl 90 engages the tip of the lever 24, then on the return movement of the labeling head this pawl pulls the lever 24 to the position shown in Figure 2, releasing the stops 18 from the edge of the box permitting the conveyor chains 4 to carry the box through between the stops on the receiving conveyor. As the box passes through the free ends 21 the stops are returned to the position shown in Figure l by the spring 27, ready to stop the forward movement of the next box.

The type holding drums 38 and 39 may be interchanged for other drums carrying other forms of type. When this is done the scale 42 may also'be removed from the upwardly extending leg 37 and replaced with a corresponding scale to the replaced drum.

What I claim is:

1. A marking and labeling machine comprising a supporting frame, a carriage reciprocally carried by said frame, means for reciprocating said carriage, a marking head on said carriage, a conveyor disposed at right angles to said carriage for conveying boxes past said marking head, stop means movable into and out of the path of movement of a box on said conveyor, means normally urging said stop means into the path of movement of a box on said conveyor, and means secured to said carriage movable into interengagement with said stop means in response to movement of said carriage toward said conveyor as the head is moved to marking position and actuating said stop means to release the box for further movement along the conveyor after the same has been marked and to permit the stop means to reset to the normal boxengaging position in response to movement of said carriage away from said conveyor as the head is moved out of marking position.

2. A marking and labeling machine comprising a supporting frame, a carriage reciprocally carried by said frame, means for reciprocating said carirage, a marking head on said carriage, a conveyor disposed at right angles to said carriage for conveying boxes past said marking head, and means mechanically interengaging said carriage and said conveyor including stops normally urged into the path of movement of a box on the conveyor to stop a box in front of said marking head as the head is moved to marking position and said means being operable to release the box for further movement along the conveyor after the same has been marked in response to movement of said carriage away from said conveyor as the head is moved out of marking position, said interengaging means including a lever pivotally attached intermediate its ends to said conveyor, links pivotally attached to said lever on opposite sides of the lever pivot and carrying said stops thereon, means resiliently urging said links and lever to a position wherein said stops overlie said conveyor, and a finger carried by said carriage engageable with said lever when said carriage is in marking position, and moving said lever against the action of said resilient means as the carriage is moved away from marking position to move the stops out of their overlying position on said conveyor, said finger releasing said lever from engagement therewith after the carriage has moved a portion of its distance away from said conveyor.

3. A marking and labeling machine comprising a supporting frame, a carriage reciprocally carried by said frame, means for reciprocating said carriage, a marking head on said carriage, a conveyor disposed at right angles to said carriage for conveying boxes past said marking head, and means mechanically interengaging said carriage and said conveyor including a stop normally urged into the path of movement of a box on the conveyor to stop a box in front of said marking head as the head is moved to marking position and said means being operable to release the box for further movement along the conveyor after the same has been marked in response to movement of said carriage away from said conveyor as the head is moved out of marking position, said mechanically interengaging means including a member for moving said stop on said conveyor, and an actuating element carried by said carriage engaging said member and moving said stop out of the path of a box along the conveyor as the carriage moves away from the conveyor.

4. A marking and labeling machine comprising a supporting frame, a carriage reciprocally carried by said frame, means for reciprocating said carriage, a marking head on said carriage, a conveyor disposed at right angles to said carriage for conveying boxes past said marking head, and means mechanically interengaging said carriage and said conveyor including stops normally urged into the path of movement of a box on the conveyor to stop a box in front of said marking head as the head is moved to marking position and said means being operable to release the box for further movement along the conveyor after the same has been marked in response to movement of said carriage away from said conveyor asthe head is moved out of marking position, said mechanically interengaging means also including a member for moving said stops on said conveyor, an actuating element carried by said carriage engaging said member and moving said stops out of the path of a box along the conveyor as the carriage moves away from the conveyor, said stops being disposed on opposite sides of said conveyor, and a toggle linkage extending transversely across said conveyor, said member comprising a toggle lever forming a portion of said linkage.

5. A marking and labeling machine comprising a supporting frame, a carriage reciprocally carried by said frame, means for reciprocating said carriage, a marking head on said carriage, a conveyor disposed at right angles to said carriage for conveying boxes past said marking head, and means mechanically interengaging said carriage and said conveyor including stops normally urged into the path of movement of a box on the conveyor to stop a box in front of said marking head as the head is moved to marking position and said means being operable to release the box for further movement along the conveyor after the same has been marked in response to movement of said carriage away from said conveyor as the head is moved out of marking position, said mechanically interengaging means comprising stops carried by said conveyor in the path of movement of a box along the conveyor, a member for moving said stops on said conveyor, an actuating element carried by said carriage engaging said member and moving said stops out of the path of a box along the conveyor as the carriage moves away from the conveyor, said stops being disposed on opposite sides of said conveyor, and a toggle linkage extending transversely across said conveyor, said member comprising a toggle lever forming a portion of said linkage, said actuating element comprising a trip finger projecting from said carriage, said trip finger and said toggle lever having cooperative means thereon for interengagement only during a portion of the retraction of said carriage away from said conveyor.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 982,014 OBrien Jan. 17, 1911 1,369,934 Onstad Mar. 1, 1921 1,427,843 Pogue Sept. 5, 1922 1,544,429 Brown June 30, 1925 1,788,983 Caster et al. Jan. 13, 1931 1,929,703 McDonough Oct. 10, 1933 2,136,897 Thayer Nov. 15, 1938 2,139,573 Booth Dec. 6, 1938 2,443,779 Sanders et al. June 22, 1948 

